« The greatest challenge in the history of humanity » : a call to save the earth by 200 personalities

Here is the translation of the text published by « Le Monde », in which artists and scientists, starting with Juliette Binoche and the astrophysicist Aurélien Barrau, join to claim for political action to face climate change.

A firefighter works as the Holy Fire burns near homes on August 9, 2018 in Lake Elsinore, California. MARIO TAMA / AFP

A few days after the resignation of Nicolas Hulot [the french minister of ecological transition who resigned on august 28th], we launch this appeal :

As we confront the greatest challenge in the history of humanity, political authorities must act firmly and immediately. It is time to be serious.

We are experiencing a global cataclysm. Climate change, drastic reduction of natural habitats, collapse of biodiversity, extensive pollution of soil, water and air, rapid deforestation : all of the indicators are alarming. At the current rate, almost nothing will be left in a few short decades. Humans and most living species are in a critical state.

It is not too late to avoid the worst

It is too late to hope that nothing bad will happen : the collapse is underway. The sixth massive extinction is taking place at unprecedented speed. But it is not too late to avoid the worst.

We therefore consider that any political action that does not make the fight against this cataclysm its concrete, declared, and affirmed priority is no longer credible. We consider that any government that does not make rescuing what can still be rescued its main objective cannot be taken seriously.

Policies must be decided upon without the influence of lobbies and with the potentially unpopular measures that result.

It is a question of survival. A question that cannot, in its essence, be considered secondary. Many other struggles are legitimate. But if this one is lost, none of the others can be pursued.